A Marketer Explains Why Red And Pink Candies Are The Most Popular

We all instinctually know it to be true: red candy is the best flavor of all the candies. And by red, we mean all shades of red ― that includes pink, too. Even if we can’t say what exact flavor red candy is ― strawberry, cherry, watermelon, perhaps? ― it’s the one that feels superior to most of us. And the excitement over Starburst’s recent release of all-pink packs is proof of that.

Why, we wondered, is this the case? Well, Grubstreet put the answer together in a quick video featured above. According to marketing experts and psychologists interviewed by Slate, flavor and color influence our choices in a way that puts red and pink on top for a variety of reasons.

First, it’s the least threatening hue because red-colored fruit tends to be the least acidic of all the fruits. Secondly, red candy is thought to be sweeter. Apparently, it is perceived to taste 10 percent sweeter than other colored candies, despite having the same sugar content. Charles Spence, a University of Oxford psychologist, explained to Slate that the reason for this is because in nature, red often indicates ripeness and sweetness.

So why do candy companies bother with the other flavors? Because people like options ― it makes them feel less bored, explains Spence.